1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a continuous feed hopper for a processing device, such as a shredder or granulator. More particularly, the present invention relates to an infeed hopper having a pivotable throat portion for forcing the feed material into the processing device. The pivotable throat also allows access into the processing device for cleaning and maintaining the operating parts.
2. Description of the Prior art
Presently, waste materials such as plastic, metal and glass are generated in large quantities, and must be processed for disposal. For example, U.S. Navy ships generate plastic waste at the rate of 0.1-0.2 pounds per man per day (0.045-0.09 Kg per man per day), and glass and metal at the rate of 0.54 pounds per man per day (0.24 Kg per man per day). The plastic, metal and glass wastes are usually of very low density, such as 1.4 pound per cubic foot (22.4 Kg per cubic meter) and 11.8 pound per cubic foot (189.0 Kg per cubic meter), respectively. In the past, such waste that is generated by Navy ships has generally been discharged at sea. However, because of adverse environmental impact, this practice has now been ended.
Processing devices for processing waste material are generally available. For example, Rapid Granulator, Inc., 5217 28th Avenue, P.O. Box 5887, Rockford, Ill. 61125 is one manufacturer of processing devices for processing waste material. Such devices are well known to persons of skill in the art, and, therefore, will not be described in detail here.
Processing waste material with existing technologies requires, in particular, that plastic waste having greatly varying density be pre-shredded to reduce the size of the material and to provide an infeed having a more consistent density. To increase the process rate of the shredder a continuous feed of waste is required into the shredder. Infeed hoppers are generally used as devices for shredders for continuously feeding material into processing devices, such as shredders.
The problem with most existing continuous feed devices for shredders is that the operator of the shredder is exposed to the cutters when they are operating so that projectiles broken off from the waste during the shredding process can be shot back at the operator. In addition, due to the low density of plastic waste that is fed into the shredder, the plastic waste sometimes needs to be forced down into the cutters of the shredder so that the waste does not stick in the hopper.